Chelsea have reportedly moved to the brink of concluding a deal for Basel youngster Renato Veiga.
In recent days, there have been suggestions that recently-appointed head coach Enzo Maresca was in favour of acquiring players who can play in more than one position.
The Italian is said to want tactical flexibility in order to get the most out of his squad, and there are already numerous members of the senior group who fulfil such criteria.
However, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Blues are closing in on the acquisition of Veiga on a long-term contract.
Romano says that Chelsea are prepared to pay €14m (£11.8m) in order to get a deal over the line for the versatile 20-year-old.
Veiga is already said to have agreed personal terms with Chelsea and has left Basel's training camp to finalise the transfer.
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How does Veiga's career look so far?
While Veiga would spend his youth days on the books of Sporting Lisbon, he would depart the Primeira Liga side without making a single senior appearance.
Instead, Veiga would make the loan switch to Augsburg for the second half of the 2022-23 campaign, making a total of seven starts and six substitute outings in the Bundesliga.
Later in 2023, the Portugal Under-21 international would make the permanent switch to Basel in a deal allegedly worth €4.6m.
A total of 26 outings would be made in his first season with the Swiss side, only being denied more appearances due to an ankle injury at the back end of 2023-24.
Veiga has largely been used as a centre-back or defensive-midfielder during his career thus far, but Romano claims that Maresca also views him as someone who can be used at left-back.
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Ramifications for other Chelsea players?
Earlier this week, the suggestion was that Ben Chilwell may be at risk of being sold by Chelsea with Maresca said to be unconvinced over whether the left-back will be suited to his style of football.
Trevoh Chalobah could also depart Stamford Bridge at some point before the end of August, with Veiga seemingly a contender to provide backup in each of their positions.
Chelsea are not in need of any more central-midfielders, yet Veiga - who stands at 1.90m - represents an option to play as the most defensive-minded of a three who can offer more height than the other players in that position.
Darren Plant
